     (logger/info "Connecting to Cassandra cluster...")
 
     ;; Connect to the cluster and select the default keyspace
-    (let [session          (connect options)
+    (let [[cluster session]          (connect options)
           keyspace         (:name (:keyspace options))]
       (select-keyspace session keyspace)
       (logger/info "Connected to cassandra cluster.")
-      (assoc this :session session :keyspace keyspace)))
+      (assoc this
+             :cluster cluster
+             :session session
+             :keyspace keyspace)))
 
   (stop [this]
     (if (:session this)

        (logger/info "Disconnecting from Cassandra cluster...")
        ;; Shutting down the connection to cluster
        (alia/shutdown (:session this))
        (dissoc this :session :keyspace :keyspace))
      this))

  ;; DatabaseLifecycle implementation. Allow the migration system to operate

  [config]
  (let [cluster (alia/cluster (:connecttion config))]
    (try
      [cluster (alia/connect cluster)]
      (catch com.datastax.driver.core.exceptions.NoHostAvailableException e
        (throw (ex-info "Can't connect to Cassandra Cluster." {}))))))

